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If you are staying in central Chennai, you’ll find several places to visit near Greams Road Chennai, that offer a mix of culture, recreation, and history. You don’t need to leave the city’s core to explore something meaningful. Greams Road connects easily to some of the oldest temples, colonial churches, peaceful beaches, and lively shopping centres. It’s surrounded by attractions that are both walkable and short rides away, making spontaneous outings convenient. Whether you’re planning to spend just an hour or half your day, each spot nearby brings something entirely different.
10 Best Places To Visit Near Greams Road Chennai
You’re surrounded by heritage landmarks, quiet retreats, and lively public spots. These places to visit near Greams Road Chennai, offer variety without needing a long travel time.
1. Government Museum
Photo: N. Vivekananthamoorthy / Wikimedia Commons
You’ll find the Government Museum in Egmore. It first opened in 1851 and has continued to operate ever since, making it one of the city’s longest-standing public institutions. It remains one of the oldest functioning museums in India. One of its key highlights is the Bronze Gallery, where you’ll come across several Chola-period bronzes displayed with proper identification. The Amaravati sculptures displayed here come from Buddhist ruins in Andhra Pradesh and are placed alongside ancient coins, inscriptions, and tools. The Children’s Museum and Natural History galleries are in separate buildings on the same campus, each focusing on simplified learning for school groups.
Distance From Greams Road: 2.3 km
Nearby Attractions: Connemara Public Library, Museum Theatre, National Art Gallery
2. Semmozhi Poonga
Photo: Eashchand / Wikimedia Commons
Semmozhi Poonga offers a calm spot away from the heavy traffic and packed streets nearby. The garden covers 20 acres and includes different sections laid out by theme, each with specific plant varieties. There are more than 500 types of plants growing here, including medicinal herbs that are clearly labelled. At the entrance, you’ll come across a vertical garden. Inside, the walking route passes through shaded lanes with flowering trees, bonsai collections, and dense bamboo patches. The lotus pond is quiet in the mornings, and benches are placed throughout for those who want to sit undisturbed.
Distance From Greams Road: 1.7 km
Nearby Attractions: Stella Maris College, Valluvar Kottam, Thousand Lights Mosque
3. Express Avenue Mall
Photo: Wendy Wei / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Express Avenue Mall brings together shopping, dining, and entertainment in one large space. The mall has four levels with clearly divided sections for fashion, electronics, and lifestyle stores. Escape Cinemas, located inside the mall, has comfortable seats and high-quality screens that regularly feature Tamil, Hindi, and English films. You’ll find the gaming area on the lower ground floor, usually packed in the evenings with kids, teens, and families who stop by after school or work. The food court nearby includes both Indian and international options, such as thalis, dosas, fried rice, noodles, pizzas, and plenty of dessert counters.
Distance From Greams Road: 2.8 km
Nearby Attractions: LIC Building, Spencer Plaza, Thousand Lights Mosque
4. Valluvar Kottam
Photo: Surajram / Wikimedia Commons
Valluvar Kottam is one of the places to visit near Greams Road, Chennai, along Nungambakkam High Road. It was built in honour of the Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar and features a massive 39-metre-high chariot structure inspired by temple car designs. The main hall inside the monument has no central pillars and can hold more than 3,000 people at once. It’s often booked for school competitions, exhibitions, and public cultural programmes throughout the year. Along the outer corridors, all 1,330 couplets from the Tirukkural are carved onto granite slabs and placed in proper order so you can walk through and read them one by one.
Distance From Greams Road: 4.6 km
Nearby Attractions: SDAT Tennis Stadium, AG-DMS Metro Station, Semmozhi Poonga
5. Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Photo: Balaji Malliswamy / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
Kapaleeshwarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple follows the classic layout of South Indian shrines. The main structure was built in the Dravidian style, with rows of carved pillars and ceilings that follow agamic traditions used in centuries-old temple construction. The gopuram rises above the surrounding streets, filled with brightly painted figures that are visible well before you reach the entrance. The inner sanctum stays active through the day, especially during the evening aarti, which draws a regular local crowd. There are smaller shrines set up around the main sanctum, including one dedicated to Goddess Karpagambal, where devotees often stop for a separate round of prayer.
Distance From Greams Road: 5.5 km
Nearby Attractions: Mylapore Tank, Luz Church, Ramakrishna Math
6. Marina Beach
Photo: ankit Bhattacharjee / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
Marina Beach is one of the most amazing places to see near Greams Road, Chennai, if you want to be near the sea without leaving the city. The promenade stretches for several kilometres along the Bay of Bengal and stays active throughout the day, especially early mornings and post-sunset. While it’s not a beach where you go swimming, the wide sandy stretch is ideal for long walks and casual local outings. You’ll often see school groups, evening walkers, snack vendors, and families gathering near the Gandhi statue or watching the waves from the edge.
Distance From Greams Road: 5.4 km
Nearby Attractions: Triumph of Labour Statue, Vivekananda House, Napier Bridge
7. Parthasarathy Temple
Photo: Ms Sarah Welch / Wikimedia Commons
Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane stands as one of the oldest tourist attractions near Greams Road, Chennai. It was originally built in the 8th century by the Pallavas and later expanded by other dynasties, including the Cholas and Vijayanagara kings. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna, depicted here as Parthasarathy, shown holding a conch, discus, and bow, which is unusual for this deity. Several smaller shrines and gopurams were added over time, each reflecting the design influences of the period they belong to. You’ll walk through open pillared corridors and prayer halls with faded but original ceiling art.
Distance From Greams Road: 4.4 km
Nearby Attractions: Chepauk Stadium, Triplicane Big Mosque, Marina Beach
8. Santhome Cathedral Basilica
Photo: Saikiran.wiki2 / Wikimedia Commons
Santhome Cathedral Basilica was built on a site believed to be the burial place of Saint Thomas the Apostle, who arrived in India in the first century. The original structure was raised by Portuguese missionaries in the 1500s. What you see now is a later reconstruction by the British, completed in the late 1800s, following a Neo-Gothic style. The main hall has tall pointed arches, wooden benches, and a narrow aisle leading to the altar. Behind the church, there’s a separate underground chapel where a portion of Saint Thomas’s remains is kept for public viewing.
Distance From Greams Road: 6 km
Nearby Attractions: Santhome Beach, Light House, Our Lady of Guidance Church
9. Anna Centenary Library
Photo: Nazeem Fasil / Wikimedia Commons
Anna Centenary Library is one of the largest public libraries in the country. Built by the Tamil Nadu government in 2010, it covers nine floors. The main reading hall is cooled, quiet, and arranged by topic, with shelves marked for Tamil, English, and other subjects. One floor is designed just for children and includes colourful storybooks, comics, and short novels. A separate section provides Braille books and digital formats for those with visual impairments. Most of the seating is arranged next to tall glass windows that allow natural light.
Distance From Greams Road: 6.5 km
Nearby Attractions: Guindy National Park, Anna University Campus, Gandhi Mandapam
10. Chennai Rail Museum
Photo: Destination8infinity / Wikimedia Commons
Chennai Rail Museum is a good stop if you’re curious about how the Indian Railways developed over time, especially the early years under British rule. Among the attractions near Greams Road, Chennai, this one focuses entirely on locomotives, equipment, and railway history. The museum is managed by the Southern Railway and displays heritage locomotives and coaches in an open yard, many of which date back to the British period. You can see metre gauge and broad gauge engines lined up outdoors, along with old wooden-bodied coaches and steam engines. Each exhibit is labelled with its year of manufacture and location of service.
Distance From Greams Road: 8.2 km
Nearby Attractions: Integral Coach Factory, Villivakkam Market, Padi Flyover
You’ll find historic temples, museums, beaches, and parks among the places to visit near Greams Road, Chennai. Most are close by, making it easy to see multiple spots in one outing. Whether you’re seeking quiet reflection, a bit of local history, or a peaceful walk, there’s something nearby to enjoy. The area is well-connected, so even a short break can be meaningful. Plan your trip today with TripXL.
Cover Photo: Ankit Bhattacharjee / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
